ST. LANDRY PARISH — The sound of a lone trumpet echoed through St. Landry Parish Monday morning as the community gathered to honor the lives of fallen heroes. Among those remembered was Army Staff Sgt. Johnathan Ray Reed, a young man from Krotz Springs who was killed in action while serving in Iraq.
His father, Webster Reed, remembers the day it all began.
"He didn’t even ask me to join," he recalled. "He just asked me to bring him to Opelousas. I dropped him off at boot camp, and that’s when I found out he was in the service. He was his own man, and he loved the military."
Staff Sgt. Reed was honored during the St. Landry Parish Veterans Memorial Day service—his name called aloud among others who died on the front lines of war.
"He was always laughing and joking, just a very happy young man," Reed said of his son.
Johnathan had just turned 25 on January 24, 2005. Four days later, while serving in Baghdad, he was killed when an explosive device detonated near his military vehicle.
"He was the middle son of three boys—he had an older brother to fight and a younger one to pick on," his father shared with a soft laugh, holding back tears.
During the emotional ceremony, the Reed family was presented with a plaque honoring Johnathan’s unwavering service and sacrifice. A solemn procession followed, escorting the family to the St. Landry Parish Veterans Memorial, where his name is etched in stone.
"It touches our hearts that we’re keeping his memory alive," Reed said.
Secretary for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, and Retired Air Force Col. Charlton Meginley also spoke during the ceremony, offering comfort to the families in attendance.
"It’s important to take solace in the fact that Americans today have a better life because of his service," Meginley said. "And one day, when we get to the pearly gates of Heaven, we’ll learn what God’s plan was for them and their service."
The service concluded with a 21-gun salute—an enduring reminder of the price of freedom.
"I’m just so proud of him," Webster Reed said. "And that I got to spend 25 years with him."
In total five families were honored with plaques.
